Garo: Red Requiem
Garo: Red Requiem is a 2011 film directed by Keita Amemiya. It is the first full length feature film in the franchise and features the debut of the Makai Preistess Rekka, Makai Priest Shiguto and the Gouryu Plot The film opens with a short monologue from Zaruba, explaining the concept of Horrors and the legend of Garo to the audience (with him floating around to showcase the film's 3D gimmick). The film's story starts with two shady characters named Shion and Kurusu, entering a gothic themed club called CRIME. They open a briefcase with an odd looking mirror to awaken and feed human souls and bodies to their master, the Apostle Horror Karma. After the opening credits, Kouga arrives in the city where the club is located, under orders by his superiors to find the cause of the disturbances. Kouga asks Zaruba if he senses any Horrors, Zaruba responding that he cannot sense anything and complains that this job will be difficult. In another part of the city, a woman with a stroller walks down the street and passes by an odd stranger wearing goggles who then follows her. Unnerved, the woman runs as fast as she can to flee from the stranger into a parking lot where she is cornered by another man wearing goggles and the one from before. She begs the older man to help her, but he does not help and discards her stroller the two corner her, revealing they are Makai Priests and the woman to be a Horror after using Madou Flames. Her cover blown, she tries to kill the Priests by hurling a motorcycle at them, only for it to be deflected by Akaza's brush. Shiguto deploys a Gouryu to deal with the Horror, controlling it with his brush and trying to exterminate the Horror with the Gouryu's firepower, but she easily knocks it a way with a powerful kick. The Horror tries to retrieve the baby, Akaza casts a binding spell from his brush and Shiguto regains control of his Gouryu, but both still struggle to defeat it. The two get cornered and are almost eaten as the Horror leapt towards them, only to be kicked back by a female priestess with powerful magic and falling down on top of a car. The Priestess named Rekka says she will fight the Horror alone and engages it, displaying her combat abilities. She weakens the Horror and the two male priests destroy its human guise with their magic. Rekka then uses a spell from her brush to summon a school of Makai Dragons and blasts of water to destroy the Horror before it has a chance to flee. The trio enjoy their victory and have a bit of small talk about Rekka's return before realizing they forgot about the baby. Akaza comforts the crying baby, only for Kouga to show up and tell them to hand over the child. Realizing that Kouga is a Makai Knight, Rekka quickly tells Akaza to throw the baby away and it reveals itself as the Apostle Horror Babel, a cannibalistic Horror that fed on its own kind according to Zaruba. Kouga engages Babel, but cannot cut its body with the Garoken due to the hardness of its skin. Kouga tricks it into hitting wall and the demon gets stuck. Rekka then charges in to try and attack Babel, only for Kouga to trip her to keep Rekka out of harms way and shielding her from its attacks. Irritated, Rekka pushes him off her and proceeds to try and face it as it breaks free from the wall. Zaruba asks Kouga what he will do and Kouga says he found Babel's weakness as he dons his armor, transforming into Garo. Kouga tells Rekka to stand back and she begrudgingly obeys. Garo knocks back Babel with a roundhouse kick, rides on top of the demon like a wild bull and then sends him upward using his strength, only to drop Babel on his belly and cleave its guillotine-like head in two, sealing Babel and deflecting the broken blade of the guillotine into a wall away from him. Kouga walks off, but Akaza tells him to stop. Recognizing him by name, Akaza tells him this city is their jurisdiction and introduces himself, his disciple Shiguto and Rekka. Kouga asks if they have heard anything about a Horror he is looking for, Zaruba explaining that the Horror in question moves through mirrors. Rekka recognizes the description matching that of Karma, coldly and immediately telling Kouga to leave as she will be the one to defeat Karma. Kouga says he was brought here under orders by the Watchdogs and will not leave as it is a Makai Knight's job to defeat the Horror. She then childishly states whoever finds Karma first will be the one to defeat it. Akaza apologizes for Rekka rudeness as she leaves. Kouga asks if anything strange has happened in the city lately and Akaza says it has been eerily quiet for a while. Back at CRIME, a lonely young woman is at the bar having drinks and Shion offers her a "date" with Kurusu. Kusuru takes the woman to a room full of mirrors and shows her a "magic" mirror that will let her see her desires. In reality, it is the cursed mirror containing Karma who feeds on the girl after a brief moment of letting her see her dreams of being praised and admired as an idol. Karma's feeding gives off a bit of evil aura which Kouga detects, but ultimately the trail runs cold after Karma finishes her meal and he decides to try again tomorrow night. In the morning, Kouga meets with Rekka, who does not like Zaruba's chatter and threatens to shut him up with a spell. Kouga inquires about what Rekka has against Karma, to which she responds that it is her job to destroy Horrors. Kouga states that it is the job of Knights as it is the duty given to them. She argue that the rules of the Order are "made up" and that Priests are the one who defeated Horrors in the past. Zaruba tries to state the fact that Horrors became too powerful for Priests to handle, thus necessitating the creation of the Makai Knights. He refers to Rekka as a "girl" and then is silenced by her magic. Rekka does not care whether she is a Priest or a Knight, her duty is to seal Horrors and she angrily walks off. Kouga flashes back to his days as a child, asking a Makai Knight if he could travel with him as an apprentice and even trying to swipe his sword. Young Kouga struggled to lift the Soul Metal blade, as he lacked the discipline and training to wield it. The Knight knocked Kouga back by thrusting forward, sheathing the blade and reclaiming it. Stubborn, Kouga tired to attack the Knight with his training sword, only to be knocked down again and pinned under his scabbard. The Knight told young Kouga that he lacked the strength to fight or defeat a Horror as he was now and refused to train him. Back in the present, Zaruba is finally able to speak again as the spell wears off and Kouga visits Akaza's shop as he is working to try and find Karma. Kurusu is alarmed by the fact that Garo is onto them and reassures Karma he and Shion can protect her. Karma laughs at this, as no Makai Knight has ever pointed a blade at her and survived. Back at Akaza's shop, Shiguto and Akaza work on a location spell to find Karma. Kouga and Zaruba explain how dangerous Karma is as she possesses mirrors and not people, the only way to defeat her is to enter the possessed mirror. Akaza says the only way to enter is if the person commits suicide or dies, the only way to enter it alive is with the Demon Sword of Rubis to open a portal with the blade, as it is made from a Horror's fangs. Akaza says that all the Knights and Priests who used that tool died in vain trying to defeat Karma, as they get trapped in Kama's mirror world. The only way out is to destroy Karma's body and seal her. At first, an impulsive Rekka says she will do it, but Kouga stops her and tells Akaza he will handle this task. Irritated, Rekka goes to the dojo inside the shop to train. Kouga and the others observe and Kouga critiques her style as it lacks defensive stances. She proclaims that attacking her opponent is more important and then produces a dagger from her brush, ready to attack Kouga. Kouga draws his blade near Akaza's neck, which causes Rekka to hesitate. Kouga tells her that Akaza would have been dead that moment if he were an enemy. She childishly calls Kouga a cheater, but Kouga retorts that a Horror knows no such concepts. Rekka then attacks Kouga in a blind rage, but is countered by Kouga's disciplined fighting style, blocking her moves and knocking her down. Kouga apologizes to Akaza for drawing his blade on him, but the Priest acknowledges what Rekka did was rude and disrespectful. Rekka screams in rage, upset she isn't as strong as the famed bearer of Garo. In the city, a woman is walking home and sees a red dress in a shop window. Shion persuades her to buy the dress and will take her to a place where she will "shine brighter", luring her to be Karma's next victim. Zaruba detects Shion and Kouga tries to follow them, only for Shion to escape and Kouga to save the woman from being kidnapped. Shion returns to find Kurusu with a prostitute whom then becomes Karma's next meal after giving the prostitute a vision of her desire for wealth and jewelry. The woman's screams are heard by Kouga, who races to its source. He comes to the doorstep of CRIME, but Zaruba senses no Horrors. It is revealed that the reason is a barrier around the club and after Kouga get his hand shocked by it, Zaruba detects Karma's aura briefly. Kouga removes one of the charms creating it and Rekka arrives. She suspects that since only Makai Priests carry such tools, there is a traitor among their number. Shiguto awakens from a nap to find the tracking spell working, reacting to Karma's aura. Akaza uses a mirror to see memories of his daughter and wife and cries out for Hikari, only for Shiguto to run in and tell Akaza they may have found Karma. Kouga enters the club with Rekka and the two search for Karma, the club patrons briefly try to tempt them with pleasure. Rekka enters the dance room and Shion lures her to where Karma is with Kouga trying to get past the crowd to reach Rekka. Placeholder Shion and Kurusu try to tempt Rekka to reveal her desires and negative aspects and them tempt her with images of her dead father. Karma appears to mock the Priestess and Shion restrains Rekka when she tries to shatter the Demon Mirror with her brush. Rekka is subjected to more images of her father dying and begging for her help. She almost gives in to temptation to enter the mirror to save her father, but Kouga stops her and shatters the mirror. Karma possesses another mirror and Shion carries her away with Rekka in pursuit while Kurusu fights Kouga. The two crash through a window and fall to the dance room with the unsuspecting crowd cheering as they brawl. Category:Movies Characters *Zaruba *Makai Priestess Rekka *Shiguto *Akaza Horrors *Kurusu *Shion *Baul Apostle Horrors *Babel *Karma Notes * On April 10, 2018, Kraken released the film on Blu-Ray for Region 1 audiences.https://www.amazon.com/Garo-Requiem-Blu-ray-Ryosei-Konishi/dp/B0788XV9G4 External Links *Official Site Category:Movies